Saturday, 29 October 2016

Tips for staying organised

Organisation fascinates me. As someone who is always really busy and has a to-do list every day that covers an entire page in my diary, I'm always looking for ways to stay organised and on top of things. I find it interesting reading blog posts about organisation and hearing about what methods work for different people.

I am a to-do list kind of person. I write the list the night before and aim to complete at least 75% of my list during the day. It means I've always got things to do, even tasks as mundane as cooking go on my list, but there's something very satisfying about ticking tasks off. I also use my diary all of the time. My lectures, society commitments and times that I'm seeing friends are all written down, so I always know when I'm free. I don't have a brilliant memory, so I don't know how I'd cope without my diary.

Amongst my classmates, I'm known for being "the organised one", so I thought I'd share some organisational tips on my blog today.

1. Have a small notebook with you at all times!

If somebody asks you to help them out or you get set some new work to do, write it down straightaway in your notebook. That way, you won't have to try and remember it!

2. Add routine to your day!

If you're a student like myself, why not get up that bit earlier and act like you're going to work 9-5. Aim to get most of the things you need to do done in this time, so that in the evening you can rest.

3. Plan far ahead.

This might sound simple, but if you know your friend's birthdays coming up later in the month, get their present early. The milk's nearly run out? Buy a replacement before it actually runs out! I've been doing this a lot this year and it's helped me so much.

4. Separate your life into different notebooks.

I have a notebook for my blog, each individual University module and one for general ideas and ramblings. This just means that everything for a certain part of my life is in one place and I don't have to spend hours rummaging around for scraps of paper that I've lost.

5. Be strict on yourself.

If you have to get something done by Friday, try your absolute hardest to get it done. Don't look at your phone until your nearly finished; you don't want to be letting that Facebook message stop you from reaching your goals!

Kat Last

Hi I’m Kat, a 21-year-old travel blogger from Hertfordshire, that blogs about staycations in the UK and my travels around Europe and North America. I’ve visited 20 countries so far and I hope to increase that total to 30 before my 30th birthday!